


After A Long Day

by KucatsHouse



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Domestic Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Happy Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, M/M, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood Fluff, Post-Book 6: City of Heavenly Fire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-29
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-02-09 23:00:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18647857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KucatsHouse/pseuds/KucatsHouse
Summary: After a long day at work, sometimes what you really need is to be taken care of by the person you love.





	1. Part 1: Alec

**Author's Note:**

> Characters and story concepts the property of Cassandra Clare.
> 
> Based on the Mortal Instruments book series, but I hope you Shadowhunters(TV) readers will enjoy.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a full day of demon hunting, Alec wants nothing more than hot food, a warm shower, and sleep. Good thing Magnus agrees.

**Part 1: Alec**

Alec hated long days. For a Shadowhunter, when you spent your entire life battling evil and demons, almost every day was considered a long and exhausting day. But not every Shadowhunter had Jace Herondale as a parabatai. With Jace as your parabatai, a simple patrol day usually became infinitely more complicated. By the time evening set in, you felt like you had spent an entire week awake. Those were Alec’s long days.

This day had started easy enough. It was supposed to be a day of standard, routine patrols around the city. It turned into a day of tracking down and battling wayward demons, and making sure Jace didn’t kill them both in the process. After he had made his report at the Institute, Alec made for home. The normally short trek seemed to take forever. When he finally made it to the apartment building, Alec wearily trudged up the steps to the loft, his boots thudding heavily on the steps. There was ichor in his clothes and hair. The right sleeve of his jacket was ripped at the shoulder, and his quiver was empty. Alec’s hands felt boneless and he fumbled twice attempting to insert his key into the lock, almost dropping it in the near dark. He eventually gave up and knocked three times, resisting the urge to lean on the door while he waited.

A moment later the door cracked open. A green-gold cat eye peered out at Alec curiously before the door swung open.

“Alexander?” Magnus was framed in the doorway, the light from the loft casting a halo effect around him. The knock had surprised him since no one, not even a mundane, should have gotten as close as his door with the wards he put up. He relaxed upon seeing Alec, but more questions arose as his eyes roamed over Alec and he took in the Shadowhunter’s tired and disheveled state. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah,” Alec mumbled, suppressing a yawn. “Just tired.” He shuffled past Magnus and into the apartment. Even in exhaustion, he was mindful to gently place his weapons down instead of just dropping the lot and damaging the wooden floors. Once weaponless, however, he wasn’t sure what to do next. Alec couldn’t decide between satiating his hunger or collapsing on the couch. He was considering the latter until he remembered the ichor coating his clothes and skin. A sound akin to a whimper emitted from his throat. Before he could make another move, a warm hand gripped his elbow. Alec found Magnus gazing at him in sympathy.

“Come this way, love,” Magnus said quietly, steering his lover towards the bathroom. Too tired to protest, Alec just stumbled along behind him.

With a flick of Magnus’ wrist, the bathroom came to life. The lights came on, reflecting off the shimmering tiles as the shower started, spraying jets of hot water. As steam began to fog the mirrors, Magnus began tugging off Alec’s clothes starting with his decimated jacket. Alec seemed to become slightly more awake with Magnus’ ministrations.

“You don’t have to do that,” he protested, attempting to pull his arms back. He was covered in demon remains and Magnus, as always, was immaculately put together. Magnus, however, tightened his grip, even pulling Alec closer and beginning to tug his shirt up.

“Shush, love. Just relax.”

There seemed no sense in fighting Magnus so Alec just gave in and allowed the warlock to remove the rest of his soiled clothing. Upon seeing Magnus begin to remove his own clothes, Alec was about to protest again but a stern look had him pressing his lips together. He allowed himself to be steered into the hot shower, the glass door closing behind them with a click.

Wordlessly, Magnus tilted Alec’s head back into the running water, soaking his hair. He ran the fingers of one hand through the dark strands, combing out tangles and knots and loosening any dried ichor. His other hand waved and a dollop of creamy white shampoo appeared in his palm, lightly scented with sandalwood. Humming gently to himself, Magnus began to clean Alec’s hair, a sudsy lather forming and running down Alec’s back in gray tinted rivulets. The tips of Magnus’ fingers massaged his scalp, eliciting a contented sigh from the Shadowhunter.

“Better?” Alec’s only answer was another happy sigh. Magnus smiled, brushing the last of the suds from Alec’s now clean hair. 

As Magnus moved from hair to skin, Alec felt his muscles relaxing, the stress of the day slowly dissipating. He kept his focus trained on Magnus, listening to his humming as the warlock concentrated on the task at hand. Magnus’ hands were gentle, gliding along Alec’s moonlight skin; now and again the pressure of his fingers increased as he encountered a tightened muscle and worked out the knot. The hot steam had weakened the gel in his hair, the dark damp locks falling into his eyes. Alec raised a hand, droplets falling off his skin as he smoothed back the hair. Magnus’ eyes seemed to glimmer at Alec’s gesture; he leaned in and planted a kiss against Alec’s temple before reaching to twist off the water. 

With gentle hands, Magnus steered them both out of the shower. Warm, fuzzy towels appeared, drying their skin and wringing excess water out of their hair. Magnus dressed Alec in a soft spun gray t-shirt and well worn sweats. “Hungry?” he asked, pulling on a simple blue shirt and pajamas bottoms.

“Starving,” Alec replied just before his stomach gurgled in agreement. He blushed faintly before taking Magnus’ offered hand. 

The Tuscan-inspired dinner had been prepared and was already set out in the main room before Alec’s return; it had grown cold during their shower, but the plates became hot again with a snap of Magnus’ fingers. There was bruschetta with tomato, basil, and mozzarella drenched in balsamic vinegar; linguine all’arrabiatta, which reminded Alec of their first date; a selection of prosciutto; and copious amounts of bread. Despite his tiredness, Alec ate with gusto after a day of demon hunting.

The shower had revived him a bit, but Magnus could see how weary Alec still was and did most of the talking, relaying details about his day. He watched Alec eat, making sure he got enough food in his system to get his energy back. 

“I’m sorry I’m terrible company tonight,” Alec said after a period of silence. He looked at Magnus guiltily through his lashes.

“Don’t apologize. You’ve had a long day.” He reached over, cupping Alec’s face in his long fingers. “I bet it was all Jace’s fault.”

“Yeah, he got some tip about demon activity near the river. It took us longer than expected to hunt them all down. We had to call in Izzy and Clary just to make sure we didn’t lose track of one.” Alec blinked owlishly, taking a sip of water. “How did you know it was because of Jace?”

Magnus scoffed as he began piling their empty plates into a neat stack. “I didn’t, but I guessed. Typical Herondales - always choosing sensible parabatai and then getting into all sorts of trouble. Not to mention running said sensible parabatai ragged trying to save their sorry asses.” Magnus tapped a thoughtful finger against his lower lip. “Although, there might have been that one exception.” He shrugged casually while setting the dishes in the sink. Magnus leaned in, giving Alec a quick kiss before pulling him to his feet and towards the bedroom. The dinner plates washed themselves magically as the lights shut off.

The pair made quick work of their nightly care routine before slipping between silky lavender and gold sheets. Laying half propped on pillows, Magnus pulled Alec close into his side. “I’ve got a little work to do, love,” he said, brushing hair from Alec’s blue eyes. “You go ahead and sleep, you need it.” An old, worn leather bound book appeared and floated in front of him, falling open to a seemingly random page. Magnus began scanning the pages, making annotations to some of his old potions, refining them with modern ingredients. He kept an arm wrapped around Alec, fingers idly skimming a bared bicep as he worked.

Fighting the urge to sleep, Alec watched Magnus work, his head cradled against Magnus’ shoulder. His eyes followed the flow of Magnus’ loopy script. None of the words made sense to Alec in his half-dozing state, but the motions of the pen seemed to relax him. The sheets shifted slightly as Chairman Meow deftly leapt up onto the bed, padding over before curling into the slight dip where Alec and Magnus’ bodies met. Alec curved a hand around the Chairman’s head, rubbing one ear gently and feeling the purring vibrations that answered. Feeling warm, clean, and loved, Alec closed his eyes and quickly drifted off into fitful slumber.

It was another hour before Magnus sent his spell book back to its secretive nook with a wave of his hand. He had known the moment Alec had fallen into sleep; still, the sight of his lover and cat slumbering brought a smile to his face. For long moments he lay there, memorizing the picture before him. Alec had looked so worn down when he returned. It wasn’t the first time he had returned in such a state, nor would it be the last. But tonight, there was just something about seeing Alec at the door, covered in demon remains, dead on his feet that made Magnus pull him in and cater to his every need.

Most days when Alec returned tired from hunting demons, he resisted Magnus’ attempts at taking care of him. He was used to taking care of others, sometimes neglecting his own needs. It was sometimes difficult to get Alec to relinquish control. Tonight seemed different. Magnus wasn’t sure what caused the changed, but he was glad all the same. He liked taking care of Alec, even if he worried about him. Given their chosen professions, life was never going to be easy and worry free. But at least they had each other.

With a slight flick of his wrist, the lights to the bedroom dimmed. Magnus leaned in close, placing a kiss to Alec’s temple before settling back into the pillows. “Good night, Alexander,” he murmured. There was a slight stir, followed by a sleepy mumble.

“Love you, Mags.”

Magnus smiled, drawing him closer. “I love you too, my archer boy.” In the quiet that followed, he too drifted slowly into sleep, awaiting a new day with Alec at his side.


	2. Part 2: Magnus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a full night of spells, Magnus returns home to Alec taking care of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters and original story the property of Cassandra Clare.
> 
> This part is a nod to rivlee and all the times we've shared hotel rooms and had NCIS marathons.

**Part 2: Magnus**

The Portal appeared in a shower of blue sparks. A slight wind stirred in the loft, carrying with it the scents of various spices and muffled sounds of a hundred voices. At the swirl of magic, Chairman Meow padded over, planting himself before the Portal and waiting expectantly. His green eyes were fixed on the magic, his tabby tail swishing back and forth.

Alec, at hearing the crackle of magic, stuck his head out of the bedroom just as Magnus emerged. The warlock stepped out the Portal, his clothes looking a little rumpled and his face weary. His hair remained spiked but looked as if he had run his hands through it multiple times in the last few hours. Magnus carried what looked to be a small white garbage bag, which he set on the dining table with a heavy thud before gathering Chairman Meow into his arms.

Alec stepped into the main room just as the Portal dissipated, leaving a few fluttering sparks. “Welcome home,” he said, stepping in close and pressing a kiss to Magnus’ cheek. “Difficult time?”

“The worst,” Magnus replied with an annoyed grunt though he smiled at the kiss. “I really hate when clients change their terms at the last minute. It is very aggravating. And they were late! They expressly told me to be on time but they show up an hour late.” Magnus scoffed in irritation, long fingers finding comfort in rubbing the Chairman’s head and the answering purrs.

“What’s this?” Alec began untying the intricate knots in the bag, which appeared to hold no less than a dozen styrofoam containers of varying sizes. A number of enticing scents escaped, filling the air.

“Ah, that. That is the one blessing out of the whole day. In addition to the agreed upon payment, the clients generously provided us dinner.” Golden cat eyes squinted, staring out the window and the bright sunlight illuminating the room. “Or maybe it’s breakfast. I guess I was gone longer than I thought.” 

“Well, you were gone all night.”

Magnus sighed in weariness, bringing his cat up to bury his face in the soft fur and murmuring. “If only all our lives were as easy as yours, Chairman.”

Alec stopped what he was doing to observe Magnus. He knew that look, knew that feeling of weariness well. Reaching over, he gently plucked the Chairman from Magnus’ hands, giving the feline a nuzzle of his own before setting him down. Alec took hold of his lover’s hand, drawing him towards the bedroom. “You look like you could use a bath.”

“That would be heavenly.” Magnus followed Alec into the bedroom and the adjourning bath where his archer boy was already running the water, the bath tub already half full. A mug of hot, strong black coffee was steaming on the counter top. Magnus was both surprised and touched at the sight. “You were expecting me.”

Alec shrugged casually but a pleased blush was evident on his face. “I just hoped you would be back soon,” he said quietly. He ran a hand through the water, testing the temperature before tossing in a handful of jasmine scented bath salts. As the tub continued to fill, Alec turned his attention to Magnus, and began to unbutton the rumpled shirt. Magnus didn’t protest, allowing Alec to help him out of his clothes before he climbed into the bath. The hot water soothed his muscles almost instantly. He ducked his head below the surface, loosening his hair. Magnus surfaced with a sigh of pure bliss before accepting the mug Alec handed to him. He sipped the coffee slowly, the hot and bitter liquid giving him a perk.

Alec perched on the lip of the tub behind him; calloused fingers gently combed through Magnus’ dark wet hair, massaging his scalp. Strong hands slid down his neck to his shoulders. Alec’s thumbs pressed against his muscles, easing the tension in his neck and shoulders. Magnus closed his eyes, sighing through his nose, his whole body going pliant at the touch. Sure hands continued to knead his muscles, easing the tightness and smoothing over skin. A pleased sound emitted from deep in Magnus’ throat. Tilting his head back, he gazed up and gave Alec a warm, loving smile. In return, Alec leaned in and graced him with a tender kiss.

“Take your time,” Alec murmured against his lips. He placed another gentle kiss on Magnus’ forehead before standing. Magnus watched him go, eyes following the curve of Alec’s hips as he walked. 

After he left, Magnus sank down into the bath, leaving only his head and hands above water. He sat in the bath for the better part of an hour, sipping his coffee and listening to the sounds of the city. When the water grew cold and he couldn’t be bothered to magically warm it for the fifth time, Magnus climbed out and grabbed a towel to dry off. Alec had laid out clothes for him in the bedroom. Alec’s fashion sense was far more simple than Magnus’ (and far more threadbare), but he wasn’t about to argue about it today. After the night he had, jeans and a black t-shirt were just fine.

Magnus padded out of the bedroom on bare feet, empty mug in hand, hair still damp and loose. Alec was in the kitchen, in the midst of assembling their breakfast. He had forgone their usual fare for the food Magnus had brought back. “How much food did they give you?” Alec asked incredulously, tossing a styrofoam box into the trash.

“I told them there were just two of us,” Magnus replied, sliding into a chair. Resting his arms on the table, he surveyed the spread before him and instantly understood Alec’s surprise. There were at least half a dozen full plates spread out. “Is this all of it?”

“No, I put the rest of it in the fridge. We’ve got enough to last all day and then some.” Alec handed Magnus a pair of chopsticks before pushing a cup of tea towards him. “Now eat. You’ve got to regain your strength.”

“Yes sir,” Magnus said with a smirk. He missed the grin on Alec’s face as he obeyed. Magnus may complain about his demanding, inconsiderate Shanghai clients, but they were excellent restauranteurs. They paid handsomely and never let him leave without copious amounts of food.

In companionable silence, Magnus and Alec began to consume their breakfast. There were mounds of scallion pancakes, delicately fried and crispy; pork shumai topped with vibrant green peas; fried turnip cake with a sprinkling of soy sauce; shrimp wrapped in wide rice noodles; steamed green vegetables; and silky sweet tofu swimming in a ginger and sugar syrup. A fresh pot of coffee was awaiting on the coffee maker, but Alec had also brewed copious amounts of black tea that they used to wash down the rich fare.

After the food was eaten, Magnus sat back, sipping on hot tea laced with honey while Alec cleared the table and cleaned the dishes. He couldn’t see Alec’s face but Magnus knew the look of concentration that Alec always wore as he worked. Lean muscles accustomed to drawing a bow flexed under his dark gray shirt as he scrubbed the dining ware. Magnus found it rather soothing to watch Alec perform the most mundane of tasks.

“Magnus?”

He startled awake at the call of his name and found Alec at his side, peering at him in a mixture of concern and amusement. “I dozed off,” Magnus stated, stretching his arms out. He didn’t remember closing his eyes much less dozing off. Alec squeezed his shoulder, trailing his fingers lightly down Magnus’ arm.

“You should sleep. You’ve been up all night.”

“If I sleep now, my sleep cycle will be all out of sorts. Still, lying down would be a good idea.” He stood, stretching out his whole body before the pair of them made for the couch. “Don’t you have to go to the Institute?”

Alec shook his head as he sat down. “I texted Jace while you were in the bath. He said he and Clary could handle things today. Demon activity has been down lately so we don’t all need to be in.”

Magnus stretched out on the couch, his head in Alec’s lap. He sighed as Alec’s fingers slid into his hair. “Then I’ve got you to myself for the day?”

“All day. Just you and me.”

“Good.” Magnus snapped, blue sparks lighting before the television came on. “There’s an NCIS marathon I’ve been meaning to catch.”

Blue eyes blinked in confusion. All Alec heard was a bunch of random letters that meant nothing to him. “What is that?”

Magnus chuckled. “Oh Alexander, probably one of the best and most entertaining crime procedurals the mundanes can come up with.”

“Crime what?”

Magnus just shook his head, pulling Alec down on the couch until the Shadowhunter was lying on his back. He snuggled up to his lover, holding him close as the techno sounding theme song began playing.

For the remainder of the day, the pair of them reclined on the couch watching episode after episode, snacking on the rest of the Shanghai fare. Alec fired off one question after another, not quite understanding all the little nuances in the show’s dialogue. Magnus patiently answered all of his inquiries, but he was more grateful for the fact that Alec was attempting to keep him awake. Now and again he would get up, retrieving cups of coffee or tea for them. If Magnus began to doze off, fingers would skim down his spine, sending a tingling sensation straight to his toes that never failed to wake him. 

Magnus was feeling relaxed and calm after his long night. He was grateful for Alec’s care and attention, but more so for the time they were able to spend together. It was a rare quiet day with Alec, just the two of them, not a care in the world.


End file.
